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August 1707 (6)
= The Herald of Europe - August 1707 = Weather this month *Becalmed in the Caspian. *Heavy rainfall in the East Indies. Events Of Importte Pertaining To Recent Matters Prague *To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the victory over the Turks at Zenta on 11th September 1697, which helped secure the liberation of Hungary, bell-and-clock towers called Türkenglocken are being erected in Prague, Szeged, Budapest, Linz, Eger, Trieste, Breslau, Breisach, Milan, Innsbruck and Cluj. The bell marks the hour each day and serves to raise the alarm in the event of invasion. A special peel shall ring out each morning when at war with the Turks to remind them to pray for victory over the infidel! The Hague *The Secretary of State of the United Provinces Francois Nicholaas van Fagel, while lamenting the passing of Prince William of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland, has voiced his desire to enter into an alliance with the Kingdom of England ‘to thwart the plans of any aggressor against us’. In consideration of this, an English ship held as a prize at Capetown has been released into English custody as a gesture of goodwill. Warsaw *In compliance with the request of the King in-absentia the Polish Army has announced it is in the process of releasing the Prussian artillery trayne seized a couple of months ago while traversing sovereign Polish territory without permission. Regensburg *In the Hofkanzler Johann Friedrich Freiherr von Seilern thanked the representatives of the princes, prelates and burgers of the Reich for their prompt action. He indicated that the Kaiser is appointing four Reichsfeldmarschalls to the Reichsarmee, namely FM. Eugen Franz Prinz von Savoyen-Carignan, His Serene Highness Kurfürst-und-König Friedrich Augustus of Saxony-Poland, His Majesty King Charles XII of Sweden and Feldmarschall Friedrich Graf von Marwitz of Prussia. “The obligation to provide troops to the Reichsarmee is by individual member state but traditionally each Kreis would ensure its minimum quota was met,” he said. “Traditionally the so-called ‘armed princes’ have been keen to provide the men because they can then legitimately and morally claim financial support from their non-contributing neighbours in the Kreis. For the large and medium states this is a useful way to off-set the cost of a standing army which for prestige and political purposes is an asset.” Then he wondered what the allocation of the quota within a Kreis is, but while chatting with other representatives it became clear to him that the member states of each Circle (or ‘Kreis’) already have a pretty good idea of which elements of their respective armies belong to the Reichsarmee as contingents. Vienna *Prince Augustus of Saxony, King of Poland, has arrived in Vienna in order to enjoy a private audience with the Kaiser (or so was his expectation). He found His Sacred Majesty at La Favorita, the Kaiser's town house in the Leopoldstadt suburb of Vienna. The Kaiser and Kaiserin held Grand Battue of Stags here, with guests including the Prussian and English ambassadors. Prince Augustus was no doubt gratified to find that he too was on the guest list! On asking why the Swedish ambassador had not turned up, the Emperor Leopold was surprised to learn that Sweden does not have an embassy to Austria (and then he learned that neither does Denmark). His other disappointment was that no Polish minister turned up either. Leopold was seen to take Prince Augustus into a drawing room to one side for a private audience as the evening wore on. *While conversing in his official capacity with Hoffriegsratprasident Field Marshal Heinz Friedrich, Furst von Mansfeld, the Russian ambassador General Pavel Vasilyev explained how the Tsar had left the governance of Russia to lesser men who failed him, “Taking the Tsar’s children to the brink of a war the Tsar would never support. Be assured Russia is no threat to the Holy Roman Empire!” He conveyed the news that the Tsar promises his forces will not leave his lands, and then on a private note said that it had not escaped his notice that he had been excluded from the social gathering at La Favorita, which he was not bitter about ‘since I would make the ladies swoon and the gentlemen jealous of my good looks’! *The Austrian court has celebrated Maria Himmelfahrt, the feast of Assumption of Mary, attending day services in the Stephansdom and holding a night vigil in the Burgkapelle. Cologne *The Prince-Archbishop of Liege-Cologne has stated publicly that he has no quarrel with the institution of the Holy Roman Emperor and is most happy to remain within it. “I look forward to new era of peace and stability with our old enemies the French and our new allies the Prussians maintaining this peace in Northern Germany. Also, it needs to be said that if the Reichsarmee has to be mobilised then it should happen. My own army has a Reichsarmee regiment of four dragoon squadrons already under arms.” The Reichsvizekanzler Friedrich Karl, Graf von Schonborn smiled on hearing this, and expressed his pleasure that the Prince-Archbishop ‘has come around to see that this is for good of all in Empire, and not just for Saxony’s benefit’. Phnom Penh *The entire Cambodian royal army has been disbanded on the command of King Thommaracha III, who announced that he shall reconstitute a brand new army over the coming months to ensure it is loyal to his crown and to ensure any traitors are weeded out from the start! The decision is not exactly popular with the country’s nobles who feel the King is casting dispersions on their good names! Their mood was even more crushed when up the Mekong River came a flotilla of Siam Navy and requisitioned merchant ships carrying King Phra Phetracha of Siam and his royal army to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. The Siamese disembarked, numbering 45 infantry battalions, three cavalry squadrons, 45 artillery batteries, and two elephant herds. With no-one to stop them the visitors placed the King of Cambodia and his family under house protection in the royal palace. The King of Siam let it be known that was being done to protect His Majesty for abduction. The Siamese military are also guarding the Cambodian Treasury to prevent it falling into rebel hands. Whydah *King of Akwamu looked serious as he observed De Mansilla. “I now make you a further counter-offer. You provide us with the weapons I asked for within two years, and pay us 20% of the profits from a slave monopoly, and we shall have a deal. What do you say to that?” Drottningholm *The King and Queen of Prussia have bid a fond farewell to King Charles XII of Sweden, and set out to return to Berlin. Before departing, King Frederick stated that he believes ‘ties between Prussia and Sweden have never been so close, and yet there remains tremendous potential to work even more closely to our mutual benefit. The conclusion of the Treaty of Friendship signals a new era of cooperation, about the future of which I am most excited and convinced.’ The Prussian royal couple have issued an invitation to King Charles and his family and ministers to visit Berlin ‘at a time of your choosing, for you shall always be welcome.’ While they left, unusually Frederick detached from his person his advisor Count Colbe von Wartenburg, who has remained behind to continue the talks with the Swedes. The Prussian Crown Prince and Crown Princess have also remained behind, but more so in a leisure than official capacity as this is their honeymoon! Hanover *The Imperial envoy to Hanover, General Feldwachtmeister Hans Karl Graf von Thüngen has extended an invitation from Kaiserin Eleonora Magdalena for Her Serene Highness Herzogin Elizabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and her mother, Herzogin Christine Louise of Öttingen-Öttingen to visit Vienna. Moscow *Tsar Peter I has taken direct control over the running of his government in Russia in person. His first public act in this capacity was to host a banquet at the Kremlim for ambassadors, the court, the senate and senior military officers. Peter was warm and friendly to all his guests, and joked that Russia has managed to achieve what no Holy Roman Emperor ever did - caused the Empire to unite! “Saxony need not feel threatened, now I rule directly there will be no war,” he said. {Russia has a new player!} Versailles *Ambassador Chatthapong Pantanaunkul of Siam has approached the head of the Royal Bank of France, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Torcy, and stated that after due consideration, Siam will permit the establishment of a branch of their bank in Ayutthaya on these terms: A licence fee of 200,000 kyal a year and an understanding that Siam may take loans at rates no higher than 10%. Colbert replied that while he was sympathetic to the request it would have to be approved by His Most Christian Majesty King Louis XIV first. He did not give an explanation as to why he thought this necessary. Dresden *The Duke of Spandau has apologised to the Saxon court for not having notified the Polish authorities of the Prussian artillery movement, ‘though as this was partly in preparation for the defence of Saxony, I am of the view that it may be overlooked and I trust the artillery will be permitted to continue their journey immediately.’ He added that, “Prussia indeed stands ready to fight alongside its Saxon cousins in repelling any aggressor who might be sufficiently foolish to oppose our might.” Falun *While searching for silver near Falun a team of Swedish prospectors were overcome by natural gases and died. Their sad fate was later discovered by another team who managed to avoid a similar tragic fate. Madrid *Jose Semedo of the Agricultural Ministry has announced that the Twin-Kingdoms has surplus grain for sale at £1 per ton. Enquiries should be sent to Madrid, stating the amount required. Upon payment grain will be released to the purchasing nation in Madrid, alternatively the Twin-Kingdoms can arrange transportation for a price. Semedo observed how grain is not just important for feeding the population and for harvests, but vital to successful military operations either on land or at sea. People being Much Admired by the Best in Société *Austria *Twin-Kingdoms *England *Prussia *Asante Union *Hanover *Persia *Moghul India *Ottoman Anatolia *Sweden Shipping Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Movements *None. Lloyds Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Losses from Causes Unknowne or Knowne *None. Ambassadorial Appointments *None. Trade Missions Opened *By England in Zanzibar. *By Austria in Accra, Ibo Brass, St. Louis (Ndar), Ft. *James (West Africa), and Capetown. Automatically parsed by LGDRParser v1.0 Category:Game 6